Miscellaneous Pioneer Cemeteries

Most of this information comes from the book Stone Cities by Donald Wentworth.

Beedle Cemetery (aka Irwin Farm Cemetery)

This pioneer cemetery is located on 136th St., Maquoketa, in Section 20 of Farmer's Creek Twp.  The GPS coordinates are 42.17461, -90.68126.  The only stone there marks the grave of Jemima Jane Ross.  She was born May 26, 1810 and died August 22, 1855.  He says, "Local rumor is that she was a black woman and former slave who was on a wagon train that passed through the area.  The train was composed of other former or runaway slaves and other black people all on their way to Canada.  Around the site of the grave, it is said that the train stopped for 2 or 3 weeks due to rampant illness among their ranks.  Jemima and some others died.  Her stone, which is made of white marble, has an inscription or poem done in fancy lettering.  There are supposed to be other burial there as well, though Jemima's is the only one known to have a marker."

The Dutton Farm Cemetery

The Dutton Farm Cemetery is located in Section 30 of Farmer's Creek Township.  Very little is known about this cemetery.

Burial: Thora Bowling, aged 35.  She was a niece of Milton Bowling.

Hurstville Cemetery

Donald Wentworth writes:  "The Hurstville Cemetery is in may ways more fiction than fact.  For many years there have been stories and rumors, but no concrete facts.  A good many people agree that a town, especially a company town the size of Hurstville, should have had a cemetery of it's own.  But where was it?  The author of this work set out .... to see if any solid information could be found to either prove or disprove the myth of the Hurstville Cemetery."

Mr. Wentworth tells of searching thru many records, maps and newspapers.  He did find some stories regarding Native American graves but nothing regarding an actual Hurstville Cemetery.

Richardson Farm Cemeteries

The Richardson Farm Cemeteries are located in Section 30 of Fairfield township.  They are very old cemeteries, but no one is sure just how old.  One cemetery, west of 'the barn' is the resting place of two children.  Another child was buried in the back yard.  Her name was Jane Shannon.  She died in 1885 at the age of 18 months.

Scheckel Farm Cemetery

This cemetery is located in Section 29 of Fairfield township.  Not much at all is known of this cemetery, as it has long been a cultivated field.

Slipper's Dam Cemetery

Slipper's Dam is located in Sec. 26 of Farmer's Creek township.  It was built and operated by Wm. H. Slipper. William Slipper followed his brother John to the Maquoketa area in the 1860s.  They formed a partnership in Farming and Saw-milling.  John A. Slipper died in 1873 and William purchased his brother's share of the property, including the mill.

There was only one burial at this place, that of Alva Newcomb.  She was the daughter of W. A. and M. A. Newcomb.  Alva died at the age of 2 months on Sept. 13, 1856.

Vaughn Cemetery

The Vaughn Cemetery is located in Section 10 of Farmer's Creek Township.  It is the burial ground for the Amos and Ann Vaughn family. There is a description of the cemetery in the Land Deeds, Book D., pg 203 & 204.  This transaction is dated March 14, 1849.  No more information on the Vaugh family has been found, except that Amos Vaughn dealt heavily in land.